Type any search term in the textbox or use the arrow keys chose an item from a list of suggested search terms,
which is displayed after the textbox contains characters matching the beginning of the suggested search terms.

Mike's Story

Saint Francis-Bartlett Treats Mike Halley for a Stroke

“I was walking through the store and working on some store issues,” says Mike.

Mike soon felt ill. He took a break to use the restroom, and that’s when things began to go wrong.

“I walked back to the restroom, and my whole right side went completely dead. I fell in the stall and was probably there about 15 minutes,” said Mike. “The next thing I remember was a couple of people standing over me. One of them was calling the ambulance.”

Mike was transported to Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett. The initial diagnosis was that he had suffered a stroke. The hospital utilized telemedicine to instantly connect the emergency room with a neurologist to confirm the diagnosis.

“I didn’t even think about it being a stroke when I got to the hospital. And I’m getting a diagnosis. It was incredibly fast. That I’m getting a diagnosis from a man down in Florida was incredible.”

When a person has a stroke, one of the biggest keys to a successful recovery is that person being treated quickly. The drug tPA can improve the chances of recovering from a stroke if administered within three hours of the stroke.

“The doctor’s telling me there’s a shot you can take,” said Mike. “There’s a 90 percent chance you will recover and a 10 percent chance you won’t. And I said, ‘By all means, I want it.’”

And the great news for Mike Halley is that he was one of the 90 percent.

“By the end of the night I had a pizza. I was able to talk. Everything was good. I went in on a Friday afternoon. I was released on a Monday. I went back to work on Wednesday. It’s incredible for a stroke.”

The experience resulted in Mike having a greater appreciation of life. He also appreciates the work of the staff at Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett.

“The staff cared extremely much. I think that’s why we were comfortably able to have everything done and leave the hospital knowing that we got the best care we could get. It was really incredible how quickly they were able to respond. They saved my life. The bottom line is that they saved my life.”